Facsimile scanner



y 19, 1.953 c. J. YOUNG 2,639,322

FACSIMILE SCANNER Filed Oct. 50, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR TTORNEY Ma 19, 1953 c. J. YOUNG 2,639,322

Filed Oct. 30. 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet' 2 FACSIMILE SCANNER May 19, 1953 c. J. YOUNG FACSIMILE SCANNER 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed 001;. 30, 1948 NE Q May 19, 1953 c. J. YOUNG FACSIMILE SCANNER 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 30. 1948 x'Yz RADIO c0 PRs5s---- 0 BY 0 I ATTORNEY Patented May 19, 1953 s PATENT OFFICE FACSIMILE SCANNER Charles J. Young, Princeton, N. J., assignor to Radio Corporation of America a corporation of Delaware- Application October 30, 1948, Serial 0. 57,606

Y 1 Y Y The present invention relates to thetransmission of messages, pictures and other subject matter in facsimile, and more particularly, but not necessarily exclusively, to a novel facsimile scanner which accepts,- scans and ejects discrete pieces of subject copy such, for example, as message sheets bearing inscriptions or other subject matter tobe reproduced in facsimile at a more or less remote point. 1 While. the'illustrative embodiment of the invention is particularly adapted for scanning such matter for transmission, it will be understood that numerous features of the invention may be incorporated in a facsimile recorder.

In accordance with the invention; a compact scanner is provided which has a stationary copy holder, for example, a stationary transparent drum, within which there is a 'revolvable mechanism for projecting an exploring point or spot of light on the subject copy which is tightly held against the outer periphery of the transparent cylinder. The transparent cylinder is supported from or on a movable carriageand means are provided for advancing the movable carriage and with it the'transparent cylinder axially of its length by a correlated feed mechanism. The ex ploring point may be moved with respect to the cylinder when using certain features of the inventiorl. Means are provided in accordance with the invention for making the cylinder dust tight. Subject copy, in the form of a message sheet; for example, is loaded into the scanner by flexible means, such for example asa flexible curtain, which is secured atone end to "the transparent cylinder so that it can be wrapped around the cylinder as it is unwound from a roller adjacent to the cylinder. The cylinder and roller are preferably mechanically coupled together and the roller is constructed in accordance with the invention to permit introductionof' a message sheet only when the parts are in an appropriate posi tion. Whenthe transparent'cylinder is rotated in the direction opposite in which it is turned for acceptance of subject copy,the subject copy is automatically discharged from the scanner. Moreover, in accordance with the invention, novel means are prdvidedfor phasing the scanner with amore or less distant recorder. This is accomplished the illustrative embodiment by reversing the direction of rotation of the transparent cylinder after a piecepf subject copy is loaded thereon until phasing occurs. Themanner in which'phasing is obtained and also the mannerin which its occurrence is indicated to the operatorof thescanne present invention.

r"are importantfeatures of the 4 Claims. (01. l s -7.1)

Accordingly, it will be seen from the foregoin that the principal object of this invention is to provide a novel facsimile scanner which is compact and which may readily be operated by the manipulation of simple controls.

Another object is to provide novel phasin means for a facsimile scanner.

A further object is to provide a scanner having novel means for projecting an exploring point onto a piece of subject matter and providing for relative movement of the subject matter and the point in a manner to produce line by line scanmng.

Other objects and advantages of the p n invention will, of course, become apparent and immediately suggest themselves to those skilled in the art to which the invention is directed from a reading of the following specification in connection with the accompanying drawing in which;

Fig. 1 isa top plan view of facsimile apparatus embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 1, certain of the parts of the apparatus being omitted for the sake of convenience of illustration;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken'on line 4-4 of Fig.3; I H

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken 9!} line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a frogmentary vertical sectional View taken on line 66 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic fragmentary sectional view similar to Fig. 3 but including a showing of parts omitted in Fig. 3; Y

Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram of a facsimile transmitting station embodying electrical circuits of the invention; and

Fig. 9 shows a message sheet suitable for use with the apparatus of Fig. 1. j 7 Referring to the drawing, the facsimile app ratus embodying the invention is indicated in its entirety by reference character It. This apparatus is in the form of a scanner for producing image signals from a piece of subject copy and, as will appear hereinafter, the initiation and termination of the production of these signals are features of this invention. The scanner It] is composed generally of a stationary part which includes a base I2; a movable carriage Id incorporating means for receiving, holding, and eject-- ing subject copy to be scanned; and a rotatable mechanism 16 having means for tracing a scan.- ning 'pathon subject. copy by a spot of light.

tightly receives one end of the cylinder M and is provided with a circular groove to receive the inner edge of a guiding or locating washer I3I. The latter is preferably of two parts so that it may readily be secured in any suitable manner to the frame member II4, for example, by screws II3, one of which appearsin Fig. 4 of the drawing. The end member I26 receives a covermember I36 which is secured in place by screws I38 and has a hand crank I39 secured thereon. Manipulation of the crank will rotate the transparent cylinder BI and the parts connected thereto. The cover member I28 also receives the transparent cylinder 8| at the opposite end with a snug fit and it carries a gear I4I which-is secured to a gear-carrying ring I42. The gear I4I meshes with a pinion I46 (Figs. 1 and 2) which is secured on a shaft I48. A dust seal I48 is provided; This shaft is suitably journalled inthe end frame members H4 and H6 and carries a roller I5I. Ina preferred arrangement, the roller I5I isprovided with stub shafts seated therein which project through the frame members. One of these stub shafts corresponds fully in function to the shaft I48 and carries the-pinion I46. A rotary tensioning spring I53, similar in operation to the main spring of a clock, causes the roller I5I to be urged in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 3 of the drawings. A flexible curtain I56 is anchored along a flattened portion I58 of the roller by suitable securing means such as a fiat strip I59 engaged by axially spaced screws I6I. The curtain, as best shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings, is anchored along the transparent cylinder '8I by a suitable elongated clamping means I63.

From the parts thus far described, it will be seen that as the crank I39 is turned to impart counter-clockwise rotation to the cylinder M, as viewed in Fig. 3 of the drawing, the curtain I'56 will be wound on the cylinder 8I. Fig. '7 of the drawings discloses clearly the principal functions of the roller, cylinder and the curtain together with the special cooperation of the cover member for the carriage. The cover member is given reference character I66 and is formed so as to provide inwardly bent portions in the form of flaps I68 and I69. The slot I19 so provided extends longitudinally of the carriage and is sufficiently long to accommodate sheets bearin subject copy. For example, in Fig. 9 there is illustrated by way of example, a suitable message sheet I12 upon which subject matter may be inscribed for transmission. The upper part I13 of this sheet may bear printed indicia and the ,lower portion I14 is available for inscription of a desired message or other subject matter. A strip I16 is reserved on the sheet and adjacent one edgethere is a non-light reflective mark I11 to provide a phasing signal for comparison with a phasing signal received from a more or less distant recorder in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 7 indicates the position of the parts when the cylinder 8I and the curtain I56 is ready to receive a message sheet I12. This sheet is introduced into the slot I which is facilitated and permitted by the previously mentioned flattened portion I58 of the roller I5I. When the sheet I12 has been introduced into the slot the cylinder is turned by the crank I39 in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 7 of the drawing until the curtain 56 is completely wound on the cylinder 8I. The direction of rotation of the cylinder BI is then reversed and turning in the reversed'direction is continued until a phasing signal is received from a more or less distant recorder in amanner to be described in connection with the diagrammatic showing of Fig. 8 of the drawings. a

The carriage I4 comprised of the carriage arts heretofore described travels upon rails I82 and I83 (Fig. 3). The rail I82 is secured to the base I2 by suitable means such as screws I84 and includes a groove I86 which is engaged by tongue I88 formed at the end of a roller carrying bracket I89. This bracket is secured to the front rail I9I of the carriage by means of a screw I99 and carries a roller I92 journalled thereon in a suitable manner. The front rail 9I of the carriage has a slopin top I94 which serves to project a message sheet I12 when the cylinder BI is rotated in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. -3 of the drawings. The previously mentioned cover I66 ends short of the sloping top I94 to assist in accomplishing this purpose.

The rail I83 is cylindrical in form and is secured to a bracket and bar combination I96 and I98 which are in turn securedas a unit to the base I2. Bracket members 262 are secured to the carriage end frames H4 and H6, respectively, and they carry rollers 204 which embrace this rail. The circular rail I83 projects sufliciently to the right as indicated on Figs. 1 and 4 of the drawings to provide for ample carriage travel. A buifer or bumper member 286 (Fig. 1) permits travel of the carriage when it is released after a scanning operation. A spring 208. urges the carriage to the left as viewed in Fig. 1 of the drawings so as to return it to a position for a successive scanning operation.

The previously mentioned worm wheel 46 which is in mesh with the rotatable lead screw 36 may be latched against rotation by the tongue 2I2 formed at the end of the armature 2I4 of a magnet 2 I6 (Figs. 3, 4 and 5). The worm wheel 2I2, therefore, serves in place of the usual half nut.

The cylinder 8| is locked against rotation by means of a swingable arm 2I8 which is secured to a rock shaft 2I9 (Fig. 2). The end of this arm 2I8 is formed to fit over the teeth of the gear I4I which is constrained to rotate with the cylinderBI. The shaft 2I9 is rocked to the locking position of the arm 2I8 by means of a ma net 22I (Fig. 3), the armature 222 of which is connected to an arm 223 also secured to the rock shaft 2I9.

Operation of the scanner I8 will now be described with reference to Fig. 8 of the drawings disclosing diagrammatically the system in accordance with the invention for operation of the scanner II] in conjunction with a more or less distant recorder. Referring to Fig. 8, station terminals 224 are indicated diagrammatically to which connection may be made to an outgoing wire line or to a radio transmitter for example. As described and claimed in applicants copending application, Serial No. 57,604, filed October 30, 1948, now Patent No. 2,581,616 granted January 8, 1952, and also in applicant's Patent No. 2,538,547 above referred to, a recorder (not shown) is provided which generates a phasing signal for each line of scanning traverse of the mechanism. This signal which appears as a pulse is amplified in an amplifier 225 and is applied to the grid 226 of an electron discharge tube 228 after rectification by a suitable rectifier 229. The pulse generated by the recorder will usually be transmitted as a modulation of a subcarrier so thattherectifier 229 serves as a, Lie: modulator for obtaining th pulse. The grid 226 of the tube 228' is also suitably connected such a manner as to cut: ofi the tube 228 when the scanner is generating facsimile signals in re sponse to traversal of: alight reflective area; of the message sheet I12. A; schematic connectionfor accormdlishing this is showng in Fig. 80f the drawing and is indicatedby reference character 2-31; It will; therefore be seen that the magnet 22! will not be energized by tube conductivity until the. scanning exploring point of the scan ner encounters anon-reflective portion of the message sheet; This non-reflective portion is provided in aconvenient manner by the marl; I11 on the message: sheet-- of 112 of Fig. 9; It. will, therefore,v be seen that" whenthe exploring point of the scanner encountersthe-spot? I'H' in unison with the recep'tionof-arphasing pulse'from the recorder that the tubezwill be energizeti to energize magnet 2-21; This" Will swing the arm 218; so" that its end engages and locks the gear MI and hence'the transparent cylinder. 81;

Energization ofvthe magnet; 221 closes contacts 2-33 which energizes a circuit including switches 2-36;- 23-!; operating? winding of a: relay 2138;- and the magnet 2 lfi'which serves; as a. half nut magnet: The contaotsiet also'loclr; the relay. The switch 235:, for example; mayF-loe a-niicr'oswitch ('notvshown) which is engaged by carriage M when-it has; completed its scanning traversal to the rightviewec'l in=Fig. l-or 4" of the drawings. The switch fifl'n'iay =beJ-a normally closedkey or pi'ish buttonsw'i tcli' to interrupt scanningtraversal" of thecarria'gef M at any desired instant. A tongue and breali'corita'ct'flfof this same 'relay renders the amplifier 2f25 inoperative. A third tongue" and5-makec'ontact' 24'3o'f therelay 238 renders an'ampiiner modulator 23B operative so that image modulated signals are'flsnppliedto the station output, for example,theterminalslzfof Fig; 8.

What is claimed is:

ll 1i transrnittihe station for a communication System'=- comprising transmitting equipment, meansresponsiveto asignal generated by said equipment to i delay operation of I said" equipment, inearis' for deriving a control signal, j said means being responsiv' to a signal" received at said transmitting station, me'ansforf applying said derived oontrol signalin coincidental relat' ship with thesi gnal generated-Unsaid n n" ter to said operation delaying means, and-means to cause' operation of said transmitter equipment upo'rr the occurrenceof coincidental" a'p" plication oi saidsignals.

2. A=transmitti'rr'g station for a' cominunica'tion system comprising transmittin'g equipment-said transmitting-equipment having irl'eaiisto (revamp a signal having; a'- maximum and' a min mum amplitude} means responsive to are maximum and minimum amplitudes of the-signal gener ated by said-equipment todelay 'operati'ono'fsai d qu pmen mea s in; a ter contro si nal, ai ew he te n siv q' a signal r at saidtransrnitting stat'i0n,, meai1s f a said derived contro 'l signal' witlitheis erated by said transmitter to' said operat on d'e n mean ie n i fi s t i ni ,5 said transmitter equipment uponme occurrence of coincidental application or: said'c ontrolsignals and said signals generated by said equipmenrat m tu e lel la, l

3- A a l t n v t i n .I'Q 'e' cfimfii i ar a ys e comn si atransmi al d r fl t said transmitting equipment having: a I movable pe sa t mi t e ui m nt' iaving'" m a to develop a signalhaving allpaXlIllUlIi and a i mu m li u 'flde en ine urori the P i-f tion of said; movable part, means responsive to he v mi.a d m um; amr ildeya' l l l si n a edby said e ui ment wd eration ofsaid equipment, means for de mg a control signal, said means fii i respgnslyej l a signal received at'said'transmitting' station, means for applying; saidderived contrql with the signal generated hyflsaid transmitter tp said operation de a i me ns; a mean tqi euse ni eration of said transmitterequipment141 9 the occurrence of coincidental application of said control signals and saidfsignals generated by said equipment at one amplitude level. 7 v v e. A; transmitting station for ,amornmuni a; tion* system comprising transmitting equipment, a dischar'ge'tube' having at least a cgntro-l elec trode, an anode and'a'cathode; means'for delaying operation of said transmitting equipment coupled tosaid anode; saidtransmitting'equim ment having means to develop asignalehaving amaximuin and a minimum amplitude level,

means to s'upply' saidsi'gnalto said control (3180: trode", means for deriving" a" control signalysaid means being responsive" to'a signal received at saidtransmitting station; and means'for applyilig said derive'ct'signal to saidwon'trol electrode. saidoperation delaying means therehy'becoming operative upon coincidental occurrence of a sig nalof one" amplitude'leverviith a derivedcontrol signal.

CHARLES J. YOUNG.

References Cited in the file "ofi patent 

